Now, criminal charges to be filed in failed Cape development

The Stoddard County prosecutor says he’s going to file criminal charges against a man whose criminal record has torpedoed hopes for a major downtown development in Cape Girardeau. He plans to file charges against Weaver Dickerson, who was behind a proposed vision and dental cooperative.

After the state had approved two-million dollars in state tax breaks, it was revealed Dickerson had been convicted three years ago of writing about $100,000 in bad checks. The state now has withdrawn the tax breaks. Dickerson has paid restitution in the last few days, but prosecutor Briney Welborn plans new charges of filing a false affidavit and filing a false declaration when he applied for the tax credits. Weaver had claimed no one with any ownership of the project was on probation or parole.

A January 19th hearing has been set to consider revoking Weaver’s probation because of his late restitution payments.

The state has revoked the license of a Kansas City funeral home and its owner for mishandling cremated remains and for selling pre-need funeral policies without a license. State inspectors who checked the Marts Funeral Home also found improperly refrigerated bodies. Marts will appeal the revocations.